Squandered lead

Been reading the reviews of the Wonder Woman film, which are unexpectedly great (currently the highest-ranking superhero film of all time on Rotten Tomatoes) and made me wonder again why Warner Bros. has been so slow to make any non-Batman superhero games. I remember years ago discussion on the Inbox on how Wonder Woman was such an easy fit for a God Of War type game and yet the only non-Batman game we’ve got is Injustice 2.

Injustice 2 might be good but it’s just a fighting game and having watched the story cut scenes on YouTube the way Wonder Woman is portrayed makes her out to just be a heartless monster. I know the whole game is some alternative grimdark world but if it wasn’t for the costume I wouldn’t recognise her or half of the other characters.

DC started out with a huge head start on Marvel when it comes to games and they’ve completely squandered it. By the time Warner even announce a proper non-Batman game, let alone announce it, the Square Enix Avengers and Guardians of the Galaxy games will already be out.Epson

Newbie friendly

So, I’m not a fan of fighting games. I am however, tempted by Injustice 2, and reports from reviewers, such as yourselves, that it is a good game for people who are new to the genre. So, my thoughts are, if you don’t like a certain genre of game, what would be the game, that would be a good place for you to start? Whether it’s because the game is easier for newbies, or because the game is really the pinnacle of its genre.

I mean, will I like the remake of Final Fantasy VII, if I wasn’t impressed with the original (hated the random fights)?Terry Hurley

GC: It’s an interesting question but perhaps a bit too complicated for a Hot Topic. We’d be interested to hear other people’s examples though.

Only the beginning

Having had PlayStation VR for over a week I’m loving it, but feel rather than being the final product it serves as an introduction to VR and more of a showcase for how good PlayStation VR could be in the future.

The resolution is the biggest limitation. It’s variable to be honest but boils down to close stuff being very clear whilst mid-to-far stuff is far less clear. I wouldn’t class it as a problem but it does affect the quality of the experience and what can be achieved on the current unit.

The appropriated tracking tech of the camera and Move controllers work surprisingly well, but aren’t good enough to get the best out of VR and will need replacing.

It’s amazing to me VR works on the amateur PlayStation 4 but it’s low spec holds PlayStation VR back. The minimum PC specs for the just released Star Trek: Bridge Crew states a GTX 970 graphics card, which is comparable to PS4 Pro (not sure how the CPU requirements compare). The Pro does improve resolution on VR games but I have feeling the game and PlayStation VR would benefit if it didn’t have to run on amateur PlayStation 4.

It’s a minor miracle Sony has VR working as well as it does on console, when you look at the cost and requirements of its PC brethren. In fact, ShopTo have it for £300 with Farpoint and Prey (non-VR game), an extra hundred buys the Move controllers and camera making it £200 less than the Oculus Rift with touch controllers. As well as cost, an advantage Sony does have is some of the most compelling content in the Star Wars VR mission and Resident Evil 7.

The immersion VR brings to Resident Evil 7 is outstanding and transformative, It’s the biggest and most impressive technological jump I’ve seen in console gaming. Add to that it’s a great game and the whole experience has been terrifyingly brilliant.

I’m impressed by PlayStation VR, it won me over immediately with Resident Evil 7 and the Star Wars VR mission but feel it has some developing to do before it can offer definitive VR. I just hope it sells well enough that Sony continues to have an interest in console VR.Simundo Jones

GC: We think ‘standard’ or ‘original’ PlayStation 4 might be a less provocative term than ‘amateur’.

The plan worked

I thought ARMS was really good over the weekend. It was definitely a good idea to do this beta demo as previously I had no interest in the game and had pretty much ignored it. But after the positive previews and now a chance to play it myself I think I’m definitely on board.

I’ll play it again this weekend and wait for reviews but consider my interested captured. It’s almost a little scary seeing Nintendo getting good at marketing, I keep waiting for them to turtle up and go back into hibernation mode.Stimpson

Healing hobby

Just want to say thanks for the great Reader’s Feature from Charlie Ridgewell. I myself have been disabled for almost 15 years now and gaming is one of the few things I can still enjoy. It’s a safe and happy place I can escape to and I can’t imagine my life without it!

Wishing you all the best with your health and continued gaming!LastYearsModel09 (PSN ID)

One little mistake

I’ve been playing a decent amount of Street Fighter II on the Switch. Ken is my boy, and doing quite well, about 50% win percentage in ranked matches. Though getting some rough lag in some matches, which obviously kills the game a bit.

Forgot how much I love the game in general, having not played a Street Fighter game since IV came out on the Xbox 360 (and never really getting into it in the way I did with the old games).

It actually really reminds me of Bloodborne. You have to read your opponent and react accordingly, rushing in will lead to punishment. And very quickly you can lose a round if you make a silly mistake. Some very tense moments as I try to make a comeback with a tiny slither of health. And when you outsmart and outthink your opponent it provides a great adrenaline rush.

Yes, perhaps it’s over priced for what it is, and missing a couple of extra features – but I’m very much enjoying getting back in the saddle of fighting games. Looking forward to the Hori stick and a few more games in the genre to come out on the platform.jurassicjim (PSN ID)/SW-8505-5876-008 (Friend Code)

That guy

Bit late to this one, but there’s only one choice. Well two, as I view them as one game: Shadow Hearts and Shadow Hearts: Covenant.

Tongue firmly in cheek and the plot is bonkers; however the cast of characters is amazing, and the judgment ring system is an interesting take on a turned-based combat dynamic. Plus, this guy…Sill82

Game-changer

My favourite role-playing game would have to be The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind, while the best I’ve ever played would be The Witcher 3. Though it wasn’t the first role-player I ever played (that would be Super Mario RPG), it was the first I ever truly immersed myself in. As a young kid, I played pretty much nothing but sports games and platformers, until one day when I was 12 I randomly rented Morrowind from my local video store.

I was absolutely enthralled by the way it made me feel like I was a real, living character within a world that actually felt alive. I spent probably my first day just stealing and selling every single item in Seyda Neen. Because of the magical way in which it introduced me to role-playing games, Morrowind is and always be favourite (and favourite game in general) of all time.

Ever since taking that first bite out of the giant feast that is Morrowind, my taste in games totally changed. I now play pretty much nothing but role-playing games or immersive sims with role-playing elements. I’ve played through tons of games since then, and really began looking at games through a critical eye after being blown away by the level design of Deus Ex: Human Revolution. As I’ve gotten older, unfortunately my free time has become more and more limited, so now I analyse games pretty thoroughly before and while playing them, so that I don’t waste my limited time playing a poorly designed game.

My limited time combined with role-playing games typically being so massive means that it usually takes me a long time to get through games, as I am very much a completionist (I don’t have to get all the achievements or anything like that, I just mean that I make sure to do every quest and see everything that I can). While I loved Dragon Age: Inquisition, I did feel like many parts of the game were meaningless filler that I could have done without, which is a problem I frequently encounter in role-playing games. I don’t want content just for content’s sake.

The game that has best respected this desire for meaningful content, and is in my opinion the best role-playing game, and best game I’ve ever played, is The Witcher 3. It has so much content that it took me over a year of playing nothing but The Witcher 3 to beat just the base game, and the DLC kept me busy for a while too. Despite all that content though, it all felt meaningful, and I never felt like it was wasting my time. However, though Witcher 3 is the best role-playing game to me, Morrowind still remains my favourite. This is because no other game can ever recapture that very first moment where you initially fell in love with role-playing games. If Witcher 3 had been my introduction to the genre, it would definitely be my favourite, but alas I must stay true to my first love.

As for Japanese role-playing games, they’ve never been able to capture my interest. I think it’s a combination of their characters and their gameplay. I play role-playing games to immerse myself into another world, and it really breaks my sense of immersion to deal with stuff like spiky-haired rebellious teenage protagonists (the protagonist from the thankfully cancelled Scalebound would have been my least favourite character of all time), flying/talking animal companions, practically naked nine-year-old girls everywhere, and so on.

I also can’t stand many of their gameplay elements, such as the ever-present turn-based battle system. The music in those games is also frequently immersion-breaking; I don’t want to hear heavy metal songs that I actually hear on the radio in real life while I’m fighting a boss. While Western role-playing games are my favourite genre, Japanese role-playing games are probably my least favourite genre. A combo I really do love, however, is when Japanese developers make Western-style role-playing games. Dragon’s Dogma and the Souls/Bloodborne games are excellent.

Finally, to the topic of how I hope to see role-playing games evolve in the future. This is kind of a tough call for me. While I do love that they are getting progressively more massive in scope, this can be both a blessing and a curse. I would love to see developers follow CD Projekt RED and From Software’s approaches, where practically every single aspect of the world has a purpose.

If that comes at the expense of content quantity, it’s worth it to me as my free time progressively decreases with age. I hope to see the genre turn more towards quality over quantity. This has already been a great year for role-playing games (Horizon: Zero Dawn, Nioh, NieR: Automata, Zelda: Breath Of The Wild, Torment: Tides Of Numenera, and The Surge have all been great; Mass Effect Andromeda was playable), and there are still more like Vampyr that I’m greatly looking forward to. The future is bright for role-playing games.Que

Inbox also-rans

Only caught the subject for the Hot Topic over the weekend but can’t believe Suikoden II wasn’t mentioned! Absolutely brilliant game in every respect. Definitely the best Japanese role-playing games I have ever played.Lukas Roper

GC: If you don’t take the time to write in about it, don’t assume anyone else will.

Regarding my earlier letters. Today I received the code for Star Wars: Battlefront Ultimate Edition. Well chuffed. 12 months PS Plus and that for £39.99 is a bargain in my book.Basin79

This week’s Hot Topic

The subject for this weekend’s Inbox was suggested by reader Olliephant, who asks you to imagine the ideal sequel to a modern franchise.

All you have to do is pick a currently ongoing series that is obviously going to get a sequel – anything from GTA to Assassin’s Creed – and say what you’d realistically like to see from it. Is there a new feature or type of character you’ve always wanted? Or perhaps a change in setting, or new style of gameplay?

Games that have already been announced, like Far Cry 5 and Red Dead Redemption 2 are fine too – or you can just skip and say what you’d want from the next sequel after that.